Program Description
The Brooklyn VAMC is located on 17 acres in southwest Brooklyn right next to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. The VAMC provides services to veterans from Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens, New Jersey, and beyond, as well as active duty personnel from the Armed Forces and Coast Guard. Approximately 20 miles away in Queens is the St. Albans Extended Care Center, a division of the Brooklyn VAMC.

The primary care rendered at the Brooklyn VAMC Optometry Clinic is problem oriented with an emphasis on ocular disease. Common patient encounters include management of blepharitis, dry eye, conjunctivitis, and anterior uveitis with emphasis in the areas of hypertensive retinopathy, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. The Optometry Clinic works with the Ophthalmology Clinic in order to provide the best eye care possible. The Optometry Clinic practices full scope primary care INCLUDING the diagnosis, treatment and management of ocular disease. Referrals to Ophthalmology are limited to those requiring secondary or tertiary care ONLY.

The Eye Clinic (Optometry/Ophthalmology) [Brooklyn], is located on the 1st floor of the out-patient care facility. There are five (5) exam rooms for Optometry. Students are asked to bring their BIO only. The facilities include five (5) automated perimeters, fundus camera, a digital fundus camera, laser procedure room and a minor procedure room. There are four (4) examination rooms for Ophthalmology Residents. The Optometry extern will be expected to provide full eye care under the direction of Dr. Canellos and Dr. Fingeret and the Optometry resident. There will be occasional opportunities for observing ocular surgery, retina clinic, as well as attending Optometry and Ophthalmology Grand Rounds, general medical clinics, hematology-oncology, and radiology. Although public transportation is available to the Brooklyn VAMC, the extern is encouraged to provide their own transportation, using the parking facilities available on site.

The VA Extended Care Facility, St. Albans and VA Medical Center, Brooklyn are both part of the NY Harbor Health Care System. Although students choose one of these sites as their primary location, in the event of unforeseen circumstances, the student may be instructed to spend part of the rotation at the “sister” site. Free shuttle bus service is offered several times a day between the two facilities.

Directions to ClinicBy Car
From Manhattan
Take the Brooklyn Bridge or Battery Tunnel to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). Follow the signs on the BQE toward the Verrazano Narrows Bridge which will lead you into the BQE extension. Exit at 92nd Street (last exit befor the bridge). Make a left at the first traffic light (92nd Street) and drive to 7th Avenue (must make right or left onto 7th Avenue). Make a right onto 7th Avenue and continue around the golf course to the Medical Center on your right. Make a right into either of the 2 parking lot entrances.

From Long Island & Queens
Take the Belt Parkway to Bay 8th Street/14th Avenue exit. Make a left at the first light onto Cropsey Avenue. Make a left at the second light onto 14th Avenue. Follow 14th Avenue as it cures and turns into Poly Place. Medical Center parking lot entrances are on your left.

By Subway
From Manhattan or Coney Island, take the “N” train to 8th Avenue, then take the #70 bus to the Medical Center.